Modern hearing assistance devices, such as hearing aids, are electronic instruments worn in or around the ear that compensate for hearing losses by specially amplifying sound. Wearers of hearing aids undergo a process called “fitting” to adjust hearing aid settings to their particular hearing and use. In such fitting sessions the wearer may select one setting over another, much like selecting one setting over another setting in an eye test. After the initial fitting process, the wearer may desire further adjustments of hearing aid settings to further tune the device and/or to match different acoustic environments.
Hearing aid settings are adjusted through a programmer that is attached to a personal computer (PC) and that allows a hearing professional, such as an audiologist, to make changes via a software graphical user interface. The programmer communicates from the PC to the hearing aids through either a wired or wireless communication protocol. A wireless programmer is unable to properly communicate with hearing aids when wireless interference is present. Using a spectrum analyzer can help measure and identify wireless interference, but such devices are expensive and most hearing professionals do not have spectrum analyzers available in their offices.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved systems and methods for assessing and mitigating wireless interference for hearing assistance device programmers.